The CRISIS Chronicles: Devil's Pass
by Wanda Ginny Greenleaf
Summary: The Second installment. While on riot control, Neo and his friends meet the unwilling host of an evil thought long defeated. Only problem? She is determined to handle the burden alone. Will they be able to save her from assimilation?
1. Chapter 1

**The CRISIS Chronicles: Devil's Pass**

**Me: Hello to my fans! Welcome to the second installment of the CRISIS Chronicles!**

**Kronos: Oh, finally...**

**Me: (evil glare that would make Wiel wet himself) You, shut up.**

**Kronos: (gulp) Uh...shall I do the disclaimer?**

**Me: Nah, Katani will do it.**

**Katani: MEEP! BladeofMoonlight does not own Megaman ZX! **

**Chapter 1: Bloodstained Shadows**

**/No P.O.V., twelve years ago**

The makeshift table was kicked aside when its owner entered the room. She took off her bloodstained coat and threw it onto the bed. A chair was roughly pulled away from a window, and collapsed in. The girl, about five or six in age, sobbed quietly into her arms, the dying light of day illuminating her untamed red hair. The red-and-black stone pendant around her neck was still hot and glowing red, its hunger for negative energy slowly being filled.

The girl wrapped her gray kitten tail around her knees, where her liquid-logged pants clung to her skin. "Mama." She cried. "If only you were here. You would've stopped this from happening! How can I face my friends, knowing that I'm at the heart of the maverick raids?"

After she spoke, she picked up a class photo and stared at it. Her eyes flickered sadly, scanning her friend's faces. _They'd hate me if they knew the truth. Everyone who knows it hates me...why wouldn't they, when I'm the heir to a legacy of pure evil?_

Her door swung open. The girl jumped and turned around.

A boy was standing in the doorway, a heavy cloak covering most of his body. You just just see his chest plate and helmet, which were both pitch black with a red crystal set in the middle of the head piece.

"Come on, Katani." He stated. "We're heading for another attack sight."

The girl's soft gray kitten ears flattened against her head, and she whimpered. "No, not again, not so soon, please." She buried her head in her arms and began to cry. The boy let out an annoyed sigh, as if expecting her reaction. He walked over and picked her up bridal-style, carrying her out and towards the ship.

The man waiting for them shook his head. "What is up with her?" He asked, annoyed, as the boy put Katani down and put on her seat belt before she could make a break for it. "Kronos?"

"She has her mother's moral sensitivity." Kronos replied bluntly. "Come on, Albert. You should have seen that coming."

Albert gave Kronos an acidic look. "I told you not to speak of that woman. I can always put your brother in the task force instead."

"Go ahead." Kronos sounded bored. "I hate publicity. It's irritating. But I bet my little bro would just eat it up. He loves violence. I'm more of the behind-the-scenes type anyway." He glanced at Katani. "I'll get our little friend here to the city." The ship pulled to a stop. Kronos grabbed Katani by the wrist and pulled her out the door and into the burning city.

**/Several minutes later**

The city fell into chaos. Mavericks shot randomly at fleeing civilians. Those who weren't fast enough died, their negative energy flooding through the air and into the red-and-black pendant, which glowed fiercely as it devoured its meal.

Katani stared out into the carnage and bloodshead, tears running silently in rivers down her cheeks. Watching this occur, helpless to stop it, was worse than being stabbed repeatedly with Kronos's time blade. The civilian's cries cut into her like nothing else. Guilt gripped her heart. This was worse than hell...

Her hand slipped into her pocket, making sure the bottle was there. It was. She clutched it tightly, hoping she'd be able to get past Kronos. And amid the chaos, she snuck past her guardians and into a nearby house.

Taking a shaky breath, she opened the bottle and drank. A few seconds later she hit the floor, a lifeless look crossing her face.

Moments later, Kronos kicked the door down and saw her lying on the floor. Walking over, he picked up the bottle and read the content label. He shook his head. "What are you up to, Katani?" Sighing, he tossed the bottle aside and smirked.

"But this does make things interesting." He picked up Katani's motionless form and carried her to Albert, informing the man that his only daughter was dead.

**/later**

You could only imagine the curator's shock when one of the bodies he was about to bury suddenly sat bolt upright, alive as ever. Without a word, the little girl jumped off the table and ran for the mountains.

The side of the volcano was still, for the moment, when Katani lowered herself, shaking, onto the inner rocky paths. She glanced down at the pits of lava, gulped, and darted towards the yawning tunnel opening on the other side.

"What are you doing here?" Katani nearly jumped out of her skin, and spun around. Kronos stood behind her, red eyes showing mere curiosity.

"K-Kronos? I-I was just exploring. I-I wanted to know where this goes." She pointed towards the yawning gap where the tunnel began.

"Of course...'just' exploring, in the 'Devil's Pass' of all places..." Kronos rolled his eyes. "You need to brush up on your lying technique."

Katani sniffed, taking a step back, ready to run if she had to. "I'm not going back, Kronos. I'm not going to let dad use me anymore!" She gave him a look filled with defiance.

Kronos shrugged. "Then you better hurry. The dogs will be let loose soon and this volcano is going to erupt any minute now." As if on cue, the ground started shaking. "You'll want to be on the other side of this pass when that happens."

"Wait...you're not going to drag me back to father?" Katani asked, confused.

"I owe that man nothing." Kronos replied coldly. "To him I'm just a pawn. From now on, I only fight when there's something in it for me, the Time Demon." The ground began to shake more violently, and the sound of barking filled the crater. Katani's ears flattened. "That's your cue, kitty-cat. Run!"

Katani bolted down the pass. Kronos smirked. "I can't wait to see how things will play out now." He vanished.

**/Present day**

"Mission Complete." The computer voice droned.

Aerios sat down, flabbergasted. "I can't believe it. It's only been a day since they left."

"The CRISIS unit has gotten quite the reputation..." Colonel remarked. "This is their 30th successful mission in the last three months."

Aerios shook his head. "30 missions in three months? This is crazy, even for chosen ones!"

"Never underestimate us." A male voice floated through the room. Aerios turned around.

Neo lead the rest of his unit-Maria, Aeolus, Atlas, Thetis, Siarnaq, Iris, Amy, Lucas, Jade and Heather into the command center, his trademark confident smirk on his face as his wings vanished in a flash of light. "Come on, Aerois! You of all people should know what we're capable of."

Amelia finished typing something on her computer and nodded. She had gotten some training and became the unit operator. "Good work, guys." She stated. "That factory is toast."

Atlas yawned. "Great, I was getting tired of all this running around."

"Are we dismissed?" Heather asked hopefully.

"Sure. Go get some rest, because frankly, you've earned it." Colonel smiled at them. Iris brightened immediately.

"Thanks big brother!" She turned and darted down the halls towards the residental area. Eager to get some shut-eye, her friends followed.

**/Atlas's P.O.V.**

_I was having a strange dream. I was standing in a ruined hallway, and I could hear shouting and the crackling of fire outside. _

"_Where is she?"_

"_Damn that demon spawn!"_

"_She can't be far! Keep searching!"_

_I frowned. Demon spawn? That's a conveniently label. I looked out a window. There was a mob outside, all holding torches, signs and weapons. Y'know, the usual crowd. They were fanning out, turning over cars and breaking into random people's houses. I could hear frightened screaming and shouted voices, demanding an explanation. The only two words I could pick out were "Katani" and "Sylyer" My frowned deepened. Katani Sylyer? Who was this person, and why was there angry mob on the streets wanting her head?_

_Gradually, the sound of someone crying got my attention. For some reason, the racking sobs seemed louder than the chaos outside. I turned around and followed the voice, back to the source._

_I slowly opened the door and felt my eyes widen. _

_A girl, probably 16 or 17 judging by her size, was curled up in a corner, sobbing quietly. She didn't look quite human-she had gray kitten ears and tail, and claws slid out of her skin and stretching several inches long. _

"_Why?" She sobbed quietly. "All I've ever done is...help them..." Her tears fell faster when she said that, and she curled up tighter._

_I walked forward slowly, as if approaching a skittish animal. "Are you alright?" I asked carefully._

_Sniffing, she looked up at me in alarm. "Don't hurt me!" She cried, scrambling away. _

_You couldn't tell I was concerned from my facial expression, but I was. "Geez, are you mistaking me for one of the losers outside? I'm insulted."_

_Her ears flicked uneasily. "Who are you?"_

"_Atlas." I stated, taking another step towards her. _

_Her eyes flashed, and she scrambled to her feet. "No! Don't come near...they'll hurt you too!"_

_The yelling from outside was getting louder, and loud footsteps sounded through the empty halls. "There she is!" The girl's ears flattened in terror, and she kicked a window open and jumped outside._

"_Run!" She yelled over her shoulder. "Hurry, before he finds you!"_

"_Who are you?" I yelled. She said something, but it was to faint to make out._

I sat upright in bed, trying to regain proper breathing pattern. The images from the dream were still fresh in my mind. "That was weird..."

_Run! Hurry! Before he finds you! _Who the hell is 'he' supposed to be? I banged my knuckles against my forehead. Nothing was making any sense. I had never remembered a dream so clearly before...

I got up, walked over to Iris's room, and knocked on the door.

"Come in." My friend called sleepily. I pushed the door open to find Iris sitting up in bed, rubbing her eyes. It was at least three in the morning. "What is it, Atlas?"

"I had a weird dream." Iris's eye twitched.

"If this is Lucidrale's fault, he is in BIG trouble. It's too early in the morning to have to put up with his antics." If there was one thing the Light AI enjoyed, it was practical jokes.

"I don't know if he sent it, but it's bothering me." Quickly, I described everything I had seen, while Iris listened attentively. When I finished, she looked down at Model I. 

"What do you think, Lucidrale?"

"_**Interesting..." **_The AI's voice echoed through the room. _**"Not all dreams come from the subconsciousness. Some are sent to you for a reason, like a plead for help...have you had this dream before?"**_

"No." I admitted.

"_**I see. Let's see if it happens again. For now, you two should get some more rest."**_

**/No P.O.V.**

The bar was loud and crowded, filled with all shapes and forms of rowdy, lawless men. The perfect cover. Authorities were too busy handling drunken men and random brawlers to notice the young black-armoured man discreetly making his way through the crowd to a back door at a shadowed end of the bar.

He opened the door and stepped inside. Waiting for him was a giant of a man, who was smoking and looking annoyed. Despite the murky, thick air, the visitor didn't seem bothered by it. He was holding a long broadsword with a ancient clock engraving on the hilt.

"You can put that down." The man said gruffly. The young man shrugged and drove the tip of the blade into the earth. He permitted himself a small smile before walking over to the table and sitting down on the vacant chair.

"Good evening." He said cheerfully. "How's business?"

The other man glowered at that. "You know damn well how business is going, considering that you're the only one who got out of the trading post before it got stormed by Legion!"

"But that _is _just one post, isn't it?" The younger boy asked innocently. "You're crime boss, _right_? Are you seriously out of options after the loss of just one post?"

"What part of you doesn't realize that we now have the famed CRISIS unit on our backs?"

"Correction." The boy replied coolly. "YOU have the CRISIS unit on YOUR back. Heh, that group of naïve kids don't even know I exist. NO ONE knows I exist. Which is why I'm still up and kicking."

The man was clearly getting angrier by the second. "Do you want your payment or what, punk?"

"Alright, alright." The funny thing was the boy didn't seem the least bit sorry. "So what's the deal?"

"You get your act together, and get my train of goods back on track. It goes through what used to be Feral territory. I want a post in the middle of that plain so I can expand my black market!"

The boy examined his gauntlet, apparently uninterested. "That's such a simple job. Can't you think of anything more worthy of my talent?"

The man raised an eyebrow. "Is this enough to catch your interest?" He placed a vial full of gold liquid on the table.

Boy, did that ever get the boy's attention. "Y'know, you could have just _said _you had this instead of lecturing me."

"Hold on hotshot. There's more to the mission. After all;" the burly man laughed at this, "who gives up something like this as payment for a convoy alone?" He placed the check on the table, and looked back at the boy's hypnotic red eyes. "I want you to bring down my rival corporation. And when I say down, I mean, all the way down."

"Interesting." Those red eyes sparkled with confidence. "You want me to do the dirty work for you, so you can avoid the publicity?" 

"Yeah. But I warn you, give me one good reason to think you aren't holding up your end of the bargain, Time Demon, Legion will know more than just your name."

"You're threatening me." Suddenly, the 'Time Demon' lost his playful attitude, and sounded dark and serious. His hand slipped down to his side.

The man shrugged. "Nothing personal."

In his mind, the boy debated whether or not to pull the trigger. He didn't really feel like it, but the man had made it unavoidable. He had no wish to be a public enemy; it was much easier to get what he wanted when the world was oblivious to his presence. Which meant that anyone who threatened to expose him must be disposed of.

No one heard the gun go off. The sword at the entrance was glowing brightly, heeding its master's order. The man slumped over on the table, a bullet wound in his skull. An annoyed sigh escaped the Time Demon's lips. He slipped the gun back into it's holster, and picked the vial up off the desk. "I always get what I want." He grabbed his cloak and his sword and pushed the door open. There were still authorities there; apparently they had busted a couple Raiders that had been doing business. Once again, the boy smiled to himself. Good. No one would notice one stranger leave when they had something more interesting to watch.

He dropped a handful of EC on the table. "Sorry about the mess." He said, a trace of faked accent in his voice. Then he turned and left the building.

_Now all I need to do...is find the cat-girl and the angel. _He chuckled to himself. _They'll both be mine!_

**End Chapter**

**Author's Note: Well, how's that for the start of the second installment? I think I actually did pretty well, especially with the scene at the bar. Oh yeah, I'm on a roll! Just who are the mystery girl and the new enemy? Well, you'll have to stick around to find out! **

**And pleeeeeease review! I need them! They're like chocolate, and just as addictive!**


	2. Chapter 2

**The CRISIS Chronicles: Devil's Pass**

**Me: Welcome back everyone! Welcome to the second chapter of Devil's Pass!**

**Atlas: WTF? I'm having prophetic dreams?**

**Katani: I hate my life...**

**Me: Don't say that, it can't be that bad.**

**Katani: (glares pointedly at me) It would be, if you weren't such a sadistic jerk...**

**Me: Aww, thanks Katani! Now in-case anyone's wondering where the heck they are...Vent, Aile, Grey, and Ashe are scheduled to make an appearance. How could I leave them out? You'll see them soon enough! Now do the disclaimer.**

**Atlas: BladeofMoonlight does not own Megaman ZX, but she does own all her OCs and the plotline, so no stealing it!**

**Chapter 2: Katani**

**/Thetis's P.O.V.**

"Calm down Atlas. It's just a simulation drill." I said.

Atlas gave me an evil look, causing me to jump. "Does it look like I care? Damn thing's rigged!" She stalked out of the room. I groaned.

My friend had severe temper problems, and lately they seem to be intensifying. Something's been affecting her sleeping patterns. Meaning that she's twice as irritable as usual, which is being a nightmare for me and the rest of the unit.

Like yesterday, when Lucidrale spiced up everyone's soup at dinner. I winced at the memory. If that AI had been a human, he would have been in the hospital for a really, really long time. Atlas seems to be going nuke at every little thing, so much so that even our arrogant chief, Neo, is taking great care to stay on her good side.

I wonder what could possibly be making it hard for her to sleep. Was she having nightmares? I've had bad dreams before, like being eaten by a giant squid, but it just made me tired. Not easy to tick off.

I sighed. Atlas's foul mood was having a negative effect on all of us. Even Siarnaq, who I thought had no emotions at all, was making it clear that he was worried. I've suggested several times that she might go to the sea side or something. The rhythmic pounding of the waves on the surf always put me in a good mood. I wonder what's wrong...

**/Atlas's P.O.V.**

I was so, so irritated. And I really wanted to strange Lucidrale.

By becoming Model I, which was pretty much a personification of his powers, it would take him longer than it used to to be able to interpret my nightmare and figure out if my imagination is playing tricks on me or if it prophetic. And the longer I wait, the worse the dreams become.

And that...! That girl is always in it. She's always being chased, shot at or locked up somewhere. She's always so hurt, so scared, and so frightened that you just want to cry with pity for her. Just last night...I was inside some kind of carrier. I open the back door and she's just stumbling out of some kind of Iron Maiden.

It hurts to watch it, and keeps reminding me of the way people treated me before Albert found and brainwashed me. It's hard to sleep, and I keep waking up at three in the morning, her frightened screams echoing in my ears.

Iris is sympathetic. Mainly because we share a room, and I keep waking her up. She says I talk, and sometimes yell, in my sleep. Amy has complained a few times, but apart from her, me and Iris, no one knows I'm having these nightmares. Mainly because I don't want them to think I'm going crazy.

I splashed my face with water, trying not to just fall asleep on my feet. I wonder how Aeolus and Maria's battle training with Iris's brother is going. Drew offered to help us sharpen our skills, and the chance was welcomed. Most of us were backed into a corner when we received our biometals and went into the the mess with Model W and Cyrus with little to no proper battle training. Everyone except me, anyway. I was raised in the military.

I sighed in aggravation and stepped into the halls again. I just wanted to sleep without having to deal with these freaky nightmares. But I can't even do that.

"Atlas!" I turned around in surprise. Aeolus was standing behind me, worry in his eyes.

"Yeah?" I grumbled, pushing my wet hair out of my face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I muttered. Wow, that was a flimsy lie. Aeolus didn't buy it.

"I'm having a hard time believing that."

"Why?" I said, turning around fully and tipping my head questioningly.

"You aren't usually this irate." My friend observed. "If something's bothering you, why haven't you told us?"

I shrugged, plastering an uncaring look on my face. "Look, it's not important. My imagination is being an ass, that's all."

Aeolus shook his head. "Atlas, I know you well enough to know when there's something on your mind. It bothers me that you won't share it."

I groaned inwardly. _Am I that easy to read? _If you had hawk eyes, you'd probably notice the faint blush that dashed across my cheeks for no more than a second. "Really, Aeolus, I'm perfectly fine. Just slept badly last night." Then I turned and bolted down the hall, leaving my confused and somewhat worried friend behind.

Once I was in the safety of my room, I sat down on my bed and sighed. I don't like hiding things from Aeolus, but if I told him what was really going on he'd think I was a nutcase. And I've noticed that my feelings for the green-haired prince are getting more and more difficult to ignore, and they confuse me to no end. I ran my fingers through my red hair, trying to chase those thoughts away.

_Aeolus is a prince_, I reminded myself. _There are probably hundreds of girls in Elysion who are a lot cuter than me, and would make a better queen. Why would he choose an ex-soldier like me anyway?_

I slowly fell asleep, still thinking about my rather pathetic love life.

**/Aeolus's P.O.V.**

I let out a sigh as I watched Atlas disappear around the corner. Why was she being so aggravating lately? The Atlas I was used to had never been this stubborn.

Granted, she was extremely hot-headed, but she was willing to talk to me. Now she's just driving me crazy. What can she tell others that she can't tell me?

I really hate it when she plays hard-to-get. Why am I so worried about her anyway? She'd bite my head off if she thought I was treating her like she couldn't handle herself. I care about all my friends, her especially since she gets into trouble so easily. Why would Atlas withhold information from me?

Too many questions, and not enough answers. I wish something would happen, just to take her mind off of it.

**/No P.O.V.**

Far away from Legion, in a smaller town near the coast, a couple of children who had been playing on the rocks noticed that their toys were shaking. In fact...on closer exception, the whole rock was.

Jumping off in confusion, the kids ran to their parents and asked what was going on. The older citizens just shook their heads in confusion and ushered them towards the house.

One kid realized he had forgotten a precious toy, and rushed back out to get it. Upon picking it up, however, he froze. Literally, his body wouldn't obey him, stiffened by a single emotion.

Fear. Complete, total, unadulterated fear.

The rumbling grew louder and louder, and the boy dropped to his knees on top of the rock. An earthquake? no. It sounded different, like...

...footsteps...

everything happened at once. What looked like a large cat was tearing down the nearby streets, running as if all the forces of hell were nipping at her heels. But that wasn't where the sensation of fear was coming from, no.

The source of the emotion that had paralyzed the poor child was the shadow behind her. The boy couldn't tell what kind of..._thing_... it was, but it was huge, easily bigger than a high-class attack Pseudoroid. And above the roar of shattering glass, screaming metal, and upturned earth...was howling. A series of barks, growls, whines, and yowls, all at once. And to top it off, it seemed to be coming _towards _him...

The shadow slowed to a stop in front of him. It looked between where it's original prey had disappeared to, snarling in frustration. Then it turned to the boy in front of it, sizing it up. It opened it slavering jaws to reveal a double-set white teeth. Fresh blood glossed between the huge white fangs, spilling onto the ground. The boy finally managed to do something. Scream.

Something grabbed onto his collar and yanked him away from the beast at lightning speed, just before it could swallow the child. It was the cat, roughly dropping the boy onto the front steps of his house. The child scrutinized his rescuer. It was a completely black cat with..._brown eyes_. Brown? That can't be right...

Dimly, the boy heard a loud angry yowl coming from the direction the shadow had come from. The cat tensed and was gone before he could blink. The shadow gave chase, and soon the rumbling subsided and the barking faded into the distance. The boy sniffed, realizing he was still alive. Then he simply fainted from shock.

**/Atlas's P.O.V.**

"AGH!" I hit the floor, hard. Groaning, I looked up at the clock. It was late afternoon. I stood up. "Now I remember why I hate sleeping."

The door swung open and Iris and Maria stepped in. Both of them looked worried.

"Iris, tell Lucidrale he better know what's going on or I am going to tear him a new one..." I growled, rubbing my arm, which had probably gotten bruised.

"Another nightmare?" Iris guessed.

"_**There's no doubt about it now..." **_Lucidrale's tone was rather flat, as if he was hiding something. _**"You're seeing different events through that girl's eyes."**_

"Okay, why?"

"_**It's a subconscious cry for help, from whoever that shadow is chasing..."**_

Maria raised an eyebrow. "Care to fill me in, guys?"

before I had a chance to explain, our communicators all rang at the same time. "This is Atlas."

"**Girls, come to the hanger room right now.**" Neo ordered. "**We've been placed on riot control!"**

"WHAT? Coming!" I cut the line and the three of us ran for the hangers.

**/No P.O.V. With the rest of the unit**

"What's going on!" Maria yelled when she, Iris and Atlas caught up.

"A riot started in the east sector a hour ago." Neo answered, eyes dark. "No one knows why, but it's big. We're being sent to stop it before it causes more damage."

"And we better hurry." Thetis said flatly. "The city's been set on fire!"

**End Chapter**

**Ugh, this chapter just WOULDN'T flow. Sorry if it's crap. Also, I'm changing one of the genres to Supernatural, for reasons you might have already guessed. Oh and don't worry about Kronos, you'll learn more about him very soon.**

**Please review! If you have an idea of how to straighten out this half-baked chapter, that would also be appreciated...**


	3. Chapter 3

**The CRISIS Chronicles: Devil's Pass **

**Me: And I am back, people! Thank you to all those who reviewed the last chapter!**

**Katani: Finally, I get some actual screen time. -_-**

**Me: Why is it that every one of you bites my head off about that? I'm working as hard as I can!**

**Katani: Fine...**

**Me: I do not own Megaman ZX or anything that belongs to Capcom. Which should be pretty obvious, since this and it's predecessor are not actual video games. -_- I'm tired of repeating this over and over...**

**Chapter 3: Meeting the Cat**

**/Atlas's P.O.V.**

Have you ever been at the scene of a riot? If not, good for you, I can explain it. People screaming, stuff blowing up, and buildings collapsing. It's a dream site, isn't it?

Neo and Maria unleashed the chain whip, tying people up. My eye twitched. It was pretty annoying that we were ordered 'not to shoot unless it was absolutely necessary'. _This is a riot, not a patrol routine! Has there EVER been a situation like this where NOT using for actually worked?_

Thetis raised his staff, putting out a fire in a nearby building. I swung my buster to the right, knocking out the man next to me. Good thing there weren't too many of them.

My nerves were grating. This scenario was too familiar for my taste. In fact, I felt like I had seen this before...

Something caught my eye. A slim black shape slid into a wrecked building nearby. My head started to hurt.

"Atlas!" Aeolus yelled in my direction. "This is no time to phase out!"

"Something is weird..." I muttered, puzzled. "Maybe..." There was a strange feeling in my gut as I headed towards the old building.

When I stepped inside, my eyes narrowed. This looked _exactly _like it had in the dreams that had been keeping me up for weeks. It could be a weird coincidence...but...

I walked to the end of the hall and gently pushed the door open.

There she was. In real life. Red hair, brown eyes, cat ears, the claws that jutted out along her fingers, her bloody outfit. It was like the Twilight Zone. I wondered for a split second if I had never woken from my last dream, and was still asleep. It was so surreal...

The girl's eyes widened, and she voiced exactly what I had been thinking. "You're real?" She whispered.

This was very awkward. I wasn't sure what to do, so I just shrugged. "Yeah. Guess I am."

"How did you find me?" The girl was already backing towards the windows. Her voice is uneven, as if she is thinking about something else.

"Coincidence." I replied. It wasn't a total lie, after all I hadn't expected to find her here. "Who are you? And why do I keep seeing you in my dreams?"

The girl keeps looking around, as if she was expecting someone to appear and attack her. "You can relax." I said, trying to keep my annoyance in check. "No one is coming in here. The riot's under control."

"really?"

"Unlike some people, I do not talk for the pleasure of hearing my own voice." I said dryly.

The girl looses up just a bit. "Katani."

"Katani? That's a strange name." I comment. "But what are you doing out here? This isn't a place for kids."

Katani looks a little offended. "Kids? I'll have you know, I'm older than you..." she looks out the window again, towards the rising moon. It was almost full, I notice. "I'm looking for someplace safe, but I guess this place wasn't secluded enough."

"Hold on," I interrupt, "those people started a riot looking for _you_?"

Katani nodded, without any sign of anger or disgust. "I'm a monster." She replies simply.

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? I don't believe that. What kind of monster would run or hide from it's prey?"

Katani refused to meet my eyes. "It's a long story." She muttered. "I'm only dangerous at...certain days."

"Care to elaborate?" I asked. Katani doesn't reply. She just raises her head and stares out the window, as if she's meditating on something. And that's the first time I noticed her pendant. It was small, red and black.

A bolt of energy ran through me. It seemed haunting familiar, in a bad way. "Hey, what's that around your neck?"

Katani's hand immediately flew to the rock, and she looks at me as if I had just caught her committing robbery. "I-It's nothing special." She replied quickly. "J-Just something mother gave to me when I was younger."

"Really?" I asked doubtlfully.

"Really! It's not important!" Katani growls defensively. "Please, you need to go. He'll be here any second now-"

"He?" I broke in again. "You've mentioned him before. Who is 'he'?"

Katani doesn't reply. She just looks out the window once again, and the hair on her cat years fluffs up, and she makes a break for it.

"Hey!" I yelled, surprised. On instinct, I followed her out of the building and out into a nearby clearing. Katani abruptly skids to a halt, and I stop just behind her.

A boy is standing there, as if he had been expecting us to appear. His armor is black, and looks to me like a reverse model ZX. He's holding a sword, and there's a strange engraving just at the hilt. It looks like an ancient clock.

"Oh, good evening Katani. I haven't seen you around in a while. Got caught up in another riot?" He asks, with the air of someone commenting on the weather.

Katani stiffened. "Why are _you _here?" She asked, her tone going from nervous to guarded.

"Having a stroll." The boy replied in all innocence. "Oh hey, who's that? You manage to make a friend?"

I glared at him. "Who are you?"

"Kronos." He replied with a shrug. "Don't know me? You will in time, I suppose. If you live long enough, that is. People around her usually die by the second week of meeting her." The boy waved in Katani's direction. She flinched, as if he had hit a nerve. "But I've heard of your reputation. Maybe you'll last a few days longer."

"Okay, smart-mouth. What do you know about Katani, how do you know it, and do you really want a Megaton punch to the face?"

Kronos looked somewhat impressed. "Feisty, aren't you? Well, I can answer one question with absolute certainty: No, I'll pass on the Megaton punch." He smiled politely. "As for Ms. Katani, I can assure you that she would have told you about herself if she trusted you. Or do the Hounds of Hell slip your memory?"

A strange chill ran down my spine. _Hounds of Hell? _"What's all this about?" I asked.

Katani paused. "Eh, er... nothing!"

Kronos burst out laughing. "Nothing! Well, aren't you the little optimist! The Hounds of Hell are far from nothing, little kitten. It's interesting that you call them that, after they almost killed you hundreds of times by now. In fact, they should be here any second now."

Katani immediately tensed up, eyes narrowing, fear dancing across her facial expression. It was as if she was listening to something.

In a few seconds, I could hear it too. The ground was trembling, and in the distance I could hear something that chilled me to the bone. It was a collective sound, a mixture of barking and howling, _far _too loud to be simple house-pet dogs.

Kronos smirked. "Good luck getting away."

**End Chapter**

**...Ugh. Writing that dialog was really quite the experience. I know, this installment is off to a slow start, but the pace is meant to pick up very soon. Don't give up on me just yet please!**

**Reviews containing suggestions and/or Constructive Criticism are welcomed! But no flames, please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**The CRISIS Chronicles: Devil's Pass**

**Atlas: (growls) I hate you...**

**Me: Flatterer.**

**Atlas: Nutcase!**

**Katani: (sigh) There they go again. Celestial Moonlight Blade does not own Megaman ZX.**

**Chapter 4: Canes Inferni**

***Atlas's P.O.V***

So that's what Fear Factor is.

I could feel it running down my spine, freezing all my joints. The barking and howling grew louder and louder, as if they could smell us in the distance and we're in the mood for some chow. It was a feeling similar to what I felt when my mind was taken over, trapping me and forcing me to watch from the inside, unable to control my own body. But that was nothing compared to this. This was on an entirely different level. Even Serpent...heck, even Albert himself would have trembled and shaken if they had experienced what I was feeling right now.

It was this feeling of helplessness. Something whispered that no matter how far I ran, I would never get away. No matter what I did, they would continue to chase me. They would follow me through hell and high water, to the very ends of the galaxy if that was what it took to trap me. That, and the feeling of hungry, predatory eyes burning into me, as if trying to set me on fire. It was an extremely unsettling feeling. Even when the Oroboris rose, I hadn't felt like this. It seemed...different, more primal. Something beyond comprehension...

Poor Katani. She looked absolutely terrified. "You need to move!" She shouted, although it came out as more of a shriek. "If you stay put, they'll either trample you to death or eat you!"

I snapped out of my trance and transformed. Suddenly, nothing mattered more than getting away, to shake off whatever was coming closer. Then I grabbed Katani's wrist and took off full speed. I _hated _feeling scared. I was a soldier for the love of all that is heavenly. Fear held you back. I had been in life-threatening situations before.

So why was this so different?

By now, the barking and howling was almost overwhelmed by the sounds of rumbling pawsteps. It was like the footsteps of a house pet, magnified a thousand times. Like an earthquake, the noise filled my ears, threatening to make me deaf for life as I ran blindly into the darkness ahead of me. The clouds hid the sky from view and I stumbled slightly before righting myself and continuing to run like a madwoman. Katani's harsh breathing sounded next to me, a harsh, ragged noise that was dwarfed by the running footsteps of whatever-it-was that was following us. I dared not turn around and try to find out what it was. If I did, it might overtake me and tear me apart.

Katani's fingers dug into my wrist, just below my armguard. I bit back a hiss of pain, trying to conserve my energy and focus it into my legs, so I could keep running. By then, I couldn't feel my feet, and I had no idea how long they had been chasing us. Nor did I care.

Our blind run had lead us deeper and deeper into the forest, towards an old, abandoned mine gate. There was a crash of thunder in the distance, signaling an approaching storm. The blackness around me hid most of it from sight, but I could see the gate.

"Do you think we could lose them in there?" Katani asked.

"Not without risking getting lost, or falling down a shaft to our deaths." I replied through gritted teeth. My nerve was coming back.

_What the hell is wrong with me? I am Atlas, the chosen one of fire. I stand up to darkness and fight against it, not turn tail and run! _

Growling, I put my foot down and came screeching to a halt.

"What are you doing?" Katani hissed in disbelief.

I turned towards her and gave her a critical look. She didn't look like a warrior, and in her present condition there was little to no chance she would be able to put up a decent fight.

"Stay behind me." I ordered. Then I turned and faced what had been chasing us.

And believe me, the truth is _much _uglier up close. I could say it was a pack of oversized dogs, and that would technically be correct, but it doesn't convey the horror.

The dogs were ENORMOUS. They were at least half the size of a skyscraper, and their eyes were a dark, slitted feral red. They had huge jaws with teeth that could have passed for sabers five time their usual size, and blood spilled out from between them. The beasts' fur was matted and covered in mud, which also slicked their paws in stark contrast to their long, curved claws which looked strong enough to smash through concrete walls. The barking cut into me like a chainsaw. There was one dog that was bigger than the others, and its jaws looked strong enough to crush a tank between them. Its ears were a bit to big for its head, and one of them was slashed. The wound traveled down to its muzzle, which didn't help improve its appearance.

The creature barked, as if it didn't understand why I had stopped running away. I raised my gun and fired. The flaming bullet smacked the creature between the eyes, and it threw its head back and yowled in anger. The other dogs began to bark, and they circled around us.

Katani shook her head behind me. "You can't kill them."

"Why. Not." I asked, seething.

"They aren't of this world," she told me, eyes dark as if remembering something foul. "They are the _Canes Inferni, _Atlas. It's them."

At first, I didn't understand what she meant. But then my Latin classes came back to me, and something in my head clicked.

"The _Hellhounds?_" I hissed in disbelief. The hounds began to circle us, growling and sizing us up. "They were just an urban legend."

"I wish." Katani replied, a bit bitterly. "If they were, I wouldn't have had to spend the last ten years of my life trying to protect the world from them because my idiot father released them."

I let that sink in. The hounds of hell were real. Katani's father had unleashed them on an unsuspecting world. And she had been forced to keep them away from society. For ten years. It was too much to think about right now.

"How are we going to get away from them?" Katani asked in a hushed voice. For the first time, I realized her accent was Russian. It was an odd thing to think about, since I was currently surrounded by horror novel material. "Do you have a transporter?"

"It's not going to work out here. We need to be closer to the city to get a signal." I replied, my eyes darting from one hound to the next. My eyes found the smallest of the group. Sure, it was big. Just not as big as the others. Slowly, I pulled out one of my bombs. "But I've got an idea. Can they at least be stunned?"

"Yes, but-"

"good enough!" I yelled, and threw the bomb. It hit the hound in the snout and exploded, knocking the creature over backwards. The dogs barked their surprise, and in their confusion, we made a break for it, heading back towards the town.

The second I picked up a signal, I stopped and punched in the numbers for HQ. "Hold on." I orders. And in a flash, we were gone and away from the Living Nightmares.

***Neo's P.O.V.***

Atlas was late. And that was never a good sign.

We had all gotten back from the riot control, and it had taken me a quick headcount to realize that Atlas was unaccounted for. Aeolus said she had wandered off in the middle of the mission, but as to _where _she had gone...that was beyond all of us.

We were all hanging out in the louge room of our apartment complex, which we all shared. Iris was looking concerned, as were Maria and Thetis. Amy was riding on Lucas about something stupid he had said, which was pretty normal for them. Heather was having a conversation with Jade, and she didn't look too happy, as if he had mentioned something that set her on edge. Or maybe it was just alien instinct, I didn't know. It was hard to when the person you're trying to understand isn't of your race. Aeolus was watching the transporter, as if hoping she'd turn up soon. And Siarnaq...well, he was still acting monotone, which wasn't a big surprise. But you could tell he was concerned. When he let an emotion slip, anyone could tell.

When Atlas DID show up, it startled all of us. She came hurting in with a complete stranger-a red-haired cat-eared girl who looked like she had been thrown into a blender. Both of them were looking as if they had run a marathon, out of breath and looking _very _unsettled.

"Atlas!" I yelled. "Where have you been! I told you to regroup with the rest of us when the mission was complete!"

Atlas shot me a glare. She hadn't been too thrilled when she heard that I was chosen to lead this unit, and I think she resents my authority. "I got a little sidetracked." She said, helping the stranger stand up. "And despite the temporary lull we've been enjoying, everything is NOT okay."

***One explanation later***

Okay, I admit I hate admiring weakness. But after Atlas calmly told us that the Hounds of Hell were real, and out running free in the real world, I was pretty freaked out. Not that you would _know_, because I _always _keep myself composed.

Maria and the others looked just as unsettled as me. "The Hounds of Hell?" Heather asked nervously. "How...what are we going to do?"

"That's a good question." Aeolus growled, directing his gaze towards Katani. "We can't kill them, and yet you claim to have been staving them off for ten years. How is that?"

Katani looked elsewhere. "I have become a...representation of their moral enemy. Cats and dogs have always been in conflict, whether it's between alley strays or house pets. I knew that as long as they knew I was there, they would abandon all human or reploid prey and pursue me instead."

"And why?" The wind Megaman pressed, looking rather distrustful. "Besides your ears, you don't have one cat thing about you."

Katani shook her head. "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me. And I really don't feel like being sent to the looney bin. Not now, of all times."

"Told us what?" Iris implored. Amy stopped fooling around with Lucas and walked over, as if expected to be named the interrogator. That was, in fact, her main job in the unit. A crack of electricity usually got stubborn mouths to open, no matter how hardened the maverick. She would get the answered we wanted, and she knew how to make her victims squeal.

Katani clearly scented danger the minute Amy stepped forward, because she seemed to get a bit anxious. "I am a Creature of the Night." She said hastily, checking the time. It was full moon now, and I admit, she was looking a bit...odd. "At least...I became one."

"How? It would be nice if you wouldn't speak in riddles." Maria snapped. She was growing impatient with Katani's evasive answers.

"As punishment." Katani replied, gazing down at her upturned hands. "There are many things one can achieve using the Dark Arts. Separating souls for their bodies is one of them. But there is one thing that man was never allowed to achieve. And that is the resurrection of the dead." Her eyes clouded over when she said that, as if it held more meaning than she was letting on. "Whoever foolishly attempted to do so received various punishments. One of them was, is, what I am now. A human by day...a monster by night."

She walked towards the window. "You can see for yourself." She added quietly. And before our eyes, she changed.

She grew fur, and dropped onto her hands and knees. I blinked, wondering if I was imagining this. But no. before my very eyes, Katani swiftly and painfully transformed into an enormous cat.

She turned her feral, wolfish eyes towards us. "I am a Werebeast." She intoned quietly, before lowering her monstrous head.

**End Chapter**

**...Yeah. I threw in angels and demons, why not add Werebeats. I know it may seem a little strange, putting in Hellhounds and Werecats into Megaman. But it's original, and I've been entertaining the idea for a while now. I hope you guys enjoy it.**

**And please review! It lets me know how I'm doing!**


	5. Chapter 5

**The CRISIS Chronicles: Devil's Pass**

**Me: I am back with a quicker update! Virtual hugs go out to all who read the last few chapters, and a special thanks to Mysteriousguy898, who reviewed last chapter! The encouragement was nice, and your questions will be answered through the course of the story. Promise! **

**Atlas: Hellhounds, Werebeasts and the Time Demon. My life is screwed up, and you aren't helping.**

**Me: You better get used to it. There's three more stories after this one.**

**Atlas: ...*%$&#.**

**Katani: Mind your language, Atlas, please. I'll do the disclaimer again, I guess. Celestial Moonlight Blade does not own Megaman ZX.**

**Chapter 5: Meeting the Werebeast**

***Maria's P.O.V.***

So Atlas's new friend was a Werecat. Well, at least that's new.

The news about the Hellhounds made my knees grow weak. How could something so dangerous have been under our radar all this time? Mentally, I smacked myself and shook off the feeling. I regarded the transformed Katani in front of me. The legend of Werebeasts came back to me, and suddenly I was animated again. "Aren't Werebeasts violent when they transform?" I asked.

Katani shook her head, eyes gleaming brightly in the gloom. You know when a cat is sitting in a dark room, and its eyes start to glow? That's what it looked like. "How right you are. However, as long as I keep my emotions in check, I won't go berserk. Too much fear or anger will cause me to revert to primal instincts, and I will become a mindless, oversized cat."

Thetis was staring at her with frightened fascination. "Whoa...a real Werecat..." He walked towards her.

"Thetis." Aeolus growled warningly.

"Oh, lighten up, Aeolus." The blue-haired boy replied in a carefree tone. "She's perfectly fine right now, see?" He knelt down and scratched Katani between the ears, inspecting her from head to paw. The girl's tail swished playfully, but her human mind clamped down on the catlike desire to pounce on Thetis and lick him.

I could sort of understand why Aeolus was edgy. We had no idea whether or not Katani was lying, and she was an unholy creature to boot. But I could feel the deathglare Atlas was sending in our direction, and decided not to speak my concerns out loud. After all, the temperamental chosen one had lashed out before, and I wasn't interested on getting on her nerves right now. That could be saved for later, when we didn't have a guest.

Iris let out her breath. "Okay, what do we do now? If we can't stop the Hellhouds, they will continue to cause damage and take innocent lives." She paused for a minute, thinking. "Do you think that if we transform-"

Heather shook her head no, violently at that. "No Iris,don't! The last time you and Maria transformed into Cyber Angels, you two went comatose for a week after you returned to normal."

Iris sighed. We both knew that much was true. I winced at the memory, which was still fresh since it had only occurred two weeks ago. It hadn't been a very pleasant experience, and it also wasn't one I was very keep to repeat. Apparently, if we transformed too many times, or for too long, we could kill ourselves and potentially rip our souls apart.

When you're a secret agent, it is really easy to die. And since Lucidrale appeared in our lives, it just gets easier and easier.

Thetis was still with Katani, who was sitting down now. "Can she talk in that form?" Neo asked, turning towards Jade.

"I doubt it." Jade answered. "Just after her transformation, she can, but when it really takes hold her mind will become simpler, more like a cats. Therefore, she no longer has the luxury of speaking in the human language."

"That still doesn't answer the question." Aeolus said, leaning against the wall. "How are we going to get rid of the Hellhouds?"

"How about we just shoot at them until they can't move anymore?" Amy suggested. "They may be hellspawn, but in this world they have solid forms. We should shoot at them until their legs no longer work, and then we can lock them up!"

"But do we have a containment cell that could hold them for long?" Lucas inserted his opinion. "I think they'd eventually break out again."

"Think," Atlas said, causing everyone to look back in her direction. "Where do they come from?"

"Hell, probably." Thetis said, before he stopped. His eyes widened. "Oh, you mean...!"

"Yes." The former soldier responded. "We have to take them back to hell, where they belong." That was said in a very casual way, as if it would be no more difficult than getting an evening snack from our fridge.

There was a long pause. "And just how do you suggest we do that?" Amy inquired. "You know, _without _dying in the process?"

Katani looked at each of them. It was hard to tell what was going on in her head, because her now-cats eyes gave nothing away. But her ears were swiveled towards us, suggesting that she was listening.

"That I don't know." Atlas said, sighing heavily. Whenever she does that, you know the gears in her brain are moving top-speed. "From what Katani told me, her father had summoned them by accident."

Katani growled. Atlas acknowledged this before continuing. "He must have opened some a gate of some kind that lead to hell. And they came through it."

Jade ran his fingers through his hair; a little habit of his. "Yes, but that doesn't tell us where the gate actually is. If that was ten years ago, Katani was much younger. She may or may not remember where it happened, and she's stuck in cat form until tomorrow morning. Isn't there anyone _else _who knows about them?"

I looked at my brother and Iris. They both shrugged. For the first time, I noticed that Lucidrale was being very quiet. I had thought he would have made a stupid comment by now.

A dark look flitted across Atlas's face. "I think I know who we need to find." She said. "That man. From before the Hellhounds started to chase us...what was his name?"

"_**It was Kronos." **_Model F injected helpfully. **_"It may just be me, but there is something very threatening about that young man. It seems familiar, but I can't place it...ah, what the hell. If we come across him, he's toast."_**

"_**Can't you take things into perspective for once, F?" **_This time, Model H spoke up. **_"I think we need to tread cautiously. This Kronos knows about the Hellhouds, but he was rather casual about it. And isn't it strange that he seems to know about Katani, and those Hounds haven't attack him?"_**

I felt my eyes narrow. H had a point, if Kronos had known Katani for a long time, why hadn't those dogs attacked her the same way they attacked every other person who had tried to stick with her?

"How are we going to find him?" Aeolus asked. "I don't suppose you know what his signal looks like."

"We'll have to work with what we know." Iris murmured. "And when we find him, we'd best hope that he knows where the entrance to hell is."

Katani's tail was swishing back and forth very quickly, as if she was agitated. Thetis looked at her with concern.

"You don't have to worry about us, Katani." He said in a friendly voice, assuming that she could understand him. "We're the CRISIS unit. Our reputation isn't there for show. No matter what Kronos is capable of, we can handle it."

Katani looked between him and Atlas. Then she made a bunch of gestures with her tail before padding towards the transporter. She then sat down and looked back, as if waiting for us to follow.

"Can she find him?" I asked.

"She's certainly up to something." Iris said. Neo nodded before snapping his fingers. "Let's go." He ordered.

%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%

I felt a little silly, following a cat around. We were out in the woods Atlas had come back from yesterday. Katani seemed to be following a scent trail, and whenever she pointed her tail she was trying to tell us something, like when to follow or when to stop.

I can't wait for her to transform back, so we can communicate in an intelligent manner. Trying to figure out what she's telling us by watching her tail is awkward.

We had split up into several groups, so we could preform a clean sweep of the forest. The people with me were Atlas, Iris, Heather, and Katani, although I'm not quite sure if she counts. An unsettling aura hung over us as we made our way through the undergrowth.

The wind moaned through the treetops, and Katani suddenly sat upright. "What's wrong?" Iris asked quietly. Katani growled low in her throat.

"Hello." My head jerked up. Kronos was now standing directly in front of us. _When the hell did he get there? _He looked exactly like Atlas's description, and this time he was holding his sword. The clock was glowing blue.

The dark knight leaned back, looking us up and down. "Why, aren't you all adorable. Legion picks its female operatives well. You came looking for me? I cannot thank you enough. You just made my job a heck of a lot easier."

**End Chapter**

**Okay, I should try to make these longer. But I got stuck, so I just decided to wing it. Sorry if it was really bad, but I'll make it up to you next chapter! **

**Review please! It will help me get better!**


	6. Chapter 6

**The CRISIS Chronicles: Devil's Pass**

**Atlas: Oh, why now?**

**Me: Because we're six chapters in and I need a fight scene! Sorry for the constant POV changes, I just want to get perspective from all the characters, because they're all main characters now.**

**Atlas: Sure you do-Katani? Where did you get that scythe?**

**Katani: Mew.**

**Me: I do not own Megaman ZX and good luck, Atlas :)**

**Chapter 6: The Pass of the Devil**

**/Iris's P.O.V.**

Battles are always very fast-paced, and I suppose fights between demons are no exception. Katani transformed into some sort of half cat half human form, and a black scythe materialized in her hand.** (a/n there's a blade on both ends, in case I'm not clear)**

Kronos smirked. "Well well well. Kitty wants to play. In that case..." He jumped directly up into the air, and swung left and right in the air with his blade. This was a little like Aeolus' slash attack, but way too fast to see. The next second, a harsh blade cut into my arm. Maria and Atlas also flinched, and started bleeding as well.

Katani ran at Kronos, tackling him just as he landed. He swung a fist at her, and knocked her backwards a few paces, before swinging his blade at her. Katani parried, and spun her scythe. The blade barely missed Kronos, scratching his armor. The Time Demon jumped backwards, and then disappeared.

Atlas froze for a second, and then whirled as Kronos materialized behind her. She swung, and managed to clip his jaw, but he danced away again, striking her across the side with his sword. She shot a fireball at him, but he just crushed it with his free hand. I smelled smoke, though. He had burnt his palm.

Kronos changed targets, attacking Maria. Shaking myself out of the daze, I shot a bolt of light at him. He ducked under it, and missed Maria. She swung her blade, and Kronos parried it. Their swords flashed in the air a few more times, and then Kronos nicked Maria's cheek. He followed this blow with a slap from his free hand, a gesture meant more to aggravate then to hurt, as he quickly clenched his hand and shoved it against his side.

Maria went crazy, swinging her sword at Kronos' head. After a few more traded blows, she kicked him right between the legs. Suddenly, Kronos vanished again. I felt a breath behind me, turned, and blasted him with light, which sent him flying backwards, hitting the wall.

"You... you're as bad as Cyrus!" Maria shouted.

Kronos grinned. "Trust me, babe, Cyrus had NOTHING on me."

Katani tackled him, knocking him backward, but Kronos turned him movement into a suplex, slamming her into the ground headfirst. She slumped, stunned. Atlas fired a few shots at him, one of which hit. Kronos jumped backwards again. Was this guy made to evade?

Maria managed to strike him on the side of the head, while I started to get a bead on his pulse (**The Reploid equivalent of a heartbeat**.) As I did, I froze in shock.

Kronos pulse was normal. He was barely working at fighting. He wasn't interested. That was creepy as hell.

Kronos managed to get out of the headlock he was in, threw Atlas at the wall, and turned us. "Anything else you want to try to add to my face? Any broken teeth or bruises? If not, it would be really convienient if you just... died." With those words, Kronos raised his sword.

Katani regained her composure, and returned to cat form. She launched herself at his back, knocking him over again. She growled something, and her pendant flashed twice. I saw Kronos's eyes narrow at that.

"It is my power, and I will continue to use it." He said. That was strange. How could he understand what she was saying?

Katani hissed, and Kronos was beginning to look annoyed. "Get off me, and I might just tell you," he snapped, the humor draining from his voice. "I don't want to spend much longer chasing you around. It's boring."

He stood up forcefully, and Katani scrambled off his back and fell to the ground, on her paws of course. "You want to get rid of the dogs?" He asked in an irritatingly know-it-all kind of tone.

"You just tried to kill us!" I snapped. "Why should we believe anything you tell us?"

Kronos simply smiled in my direction. It was a very sweet smile at that. Strangely, I felt a shiver go down my spine. That look was creepy. "Why would I lie to a little angel like you?" I must have made a face, because his eyes twinkled in amusement. "You have to drive them to the Devil's Pass. Kitty here will know where _that _is."

And just like that, he was gone.

Atlas snarled. "We _really _have to find out how he does that..." she said, her tone vindictive. Maria nodded in solemn agreement before going to check on Katani.

Just then, Neo and the rest of our unit ran in. Our leader looked between us, his expression frustrated. I knew him well enough by now to know that it was because if things had worked out differently, he would only have arrived in time to bury us. "Okay, what did we miss?"

***Neo's P.O.V.***

That settles it. I am not letting those four out of my sight again. Atlas may try to kill me for it, but I won't risk their lives by sending them out alone.

Maria finished telling us about the battle, and Iris picked up. "It was weird..." she muttered, shrugging off Heather's concerned hand, insisting that she was in one piece. "He was moving absurdly quickly, on which I draw to conclusions. Either he can teleport/phase like Siarnaq, or he has some kind of power that is yet to be identified."

"That's just spectacular." Amy said dryly. "And this 'Devil's Pass' hardly sounds welcoming. He's a maverick. How do we know we can trust him?"

"_**No, he was telling the truth."**_ Lucidrale's voice rang through our minds. This startled me, since he hadn't spoken in several days. **_"The Devil's Pass does lead to the underworld, but only on the full moon. In other words, we only have three hours to get them to the Pass before the sun comes up."_**

Three hours. I resisted the urge to yell at him for not telling us sooner and forced myself to think this over quickly. "Okay...the dogs have spent the last ten years tracking Katani, right?"

Katani nodded, ears lying flat against her head.

"I'm willing to bet that they've already picked up her scent." Aeolus said, shaking his head. "She hasn't gone very far in the last few hours, which makes her easy to find."

"Alright, I guess that's decided for us then. Where's the pass?"

"_**You got lucky twice. It's thirty minutes from here. See that mountain over there? That's it." **_We all found ourselves turning in the direction Lucidrale was talking about. Sure enough, the mountain stood sagely in the distance. _Geez, if only we had luck like this more often._

"So the idea is to use ourselves as bait and lead them into the pass?" Heather asked, her tone becoming rather cynical-sounding.

"Sounds like another day at the bank." Thetis muttered. I sighed. I knew how much they didn't want to do this. After all, we risked getting ripped to shreds by these unholy creatures, and that wasn't on my list of things to do today. But we're chosen ones. We don't run away from hard decisions.

"Let's hope they don't have bad noses."

***1 hour later***

At least the dogs were polite enough not to keep us waiting too long.

"Get moving!" I shouted, just as they burst through the bracken behind us. Everyone took off as fast as their biometal would allow them.

The first thing that hit me was the deafening roar of pawsteps behind me. Atlas had described it before, but experiencing it in person was an entirely different matter. I could hear the barking, and for a split second I wondered why the others were scared. Perhaps it was Model O, the cockiness of the God of Destruction leaking through and into my personality, the same way it had when I first transformed. That feels like it had happened eons ago, in another lifetime. My string of missions and all the crap that had happened to me could have filled ten years, but I had been forced to do it all in several months.

The barking continued to grow louder, and I remembered the subject at hand.

Mountainside appeared from the mist, directly in front of us. It wasn't too steep, but it looked rocky and hard to climb. Hopefully, this will be one of our good days and it will slow the Hounds down too.

Katani hit the slope running, constantly glancing over her shoulder at us to make sure we were keeping up. Despite the fact her eyes were now that of a cats, they were glowing with concern. She was taking me a bit too lightly. I am Neo Light, and I can deal with a bunch of idiot dogs who only think with their stomachs.

I lunged up the slope, trying to throw my weight forward, to send me up more quickly. One of the Hounds bit at my heel, and I kicked it, hitting it's snout. This only served to tick the dog off, and I was dashing up the slope as quickly as humanly possible, all too aware of the hell-dog breath on my back.

Katani had reached the top of the slope, and was currently looking down the tunnel. She let out a little hiss, and dashed forward. The entire CRISIS unit dashed up the slope and into the tunnel like a mini-avalanche, and, although I tripped, Siarnaq carried me forward. The Hounds were scrabbling up the side, and one had almost made it to the side of the slope. Aeolus half-turned, and blasted a tornado towards the pack leader, knocking it backwards. I would have laughed, but Aeolus looked fearful as he continued running, the same way a kid might look if he had just punched a much bigger bully. So Fear Factor was affecting him too...

Maria's face was set, and a mask of calm on her face. She yanked Jade up onto his feet when he tripped, and looked ahead. When Siarnaq helped me stand and run again, she yelled "hey! I see a bright red light, dead ahead!"

"I see it to!" Thetis confirmed. I saw it a few seconds later; a bright red gate shone against the fading moonlight at the other end of the tunnel. As if sensing our approach, they suddenly swung open. Fiery pits greeted us on the other side.

"What do we do?" Iris cried. I realized that her wings were out, and in a flash so were mine and Aeolus's. Maybe it was some kind of reaction to the energy of the netherworld. "If we keep going, we'll go straight in! And if we try to turn around, the hounds will eat us!"

She sounded terrified. I felt sorry for her, but I knew that we didn't have a choice. Iris had just spelled it out for us.

"Everyone in!" I shouted. Pain and fear flooded off my comrades, but to my amazement, they followed me without a word. That conveyed their trust more than a million words ever would. A strange, sudden burst of warmth tore through my heart. The dogs barked in sudden confusion, as if sensing the change. Even if they did tick me off at times, right now I wouldn't trade these guys for any other regiment in the world.

We dove through the gates and skidded to a halt, and the Hounds fell in after us. There was a loud click as the doors slammed shut behind us.

Maria sobbed softly and hugged me. I wrapped my arms around her, feeling the need to be a proper brother and try to comfort her. Katani's ears were flat against her hand and her tail was trembling. Clearly she was blaming herself. The others looked shaken, even Atlas and Amy.

Who could blame them? We were going to have to spend this month in Hell.

**End Chapter**

**Oh dear, this isn't good now is it? Will they last until next full moon? Who will they see down here, since it's, y'know, hell? You'll find out if you stick with me.**

**Like it? Hate it? The only way I'll know is if you review!**


	7. Chapter 7: Oh crap

**The CRISIS Chronicles: Devil's Pass**

**Iris: Why did you feel the need to do that? **

**Me: I'm evil and insane, and you all should know that by now. Plus it's the perfect stage for the longest boss rush in history.**

**Iris: ! **

**Sigma: It's about damn time I got featured in your stories!**

**Me: Okay, who invited HIM into the author's notes?**

**Kronos: (smirks) Celestial Moonlight Blade does not own Megaman ZX or Megaman X. She's just a crazy fan.**

**Me: KRONOS!**

**Chapter 7: Oh crap**

***Atlas's P.O.V.***

Somehow, Katani was completely calm, despite the fact that we were trapped in the realm of torture, fire, and sulfur. That's rather impressive, I think.

"First of all, whatever you do, don't panic." She said, looking between us. "We can't afford to loose our cool now."

"Oh really?" Heather questioned in a frazzled voice. "Easy for you to say! This is HELL!"

"Hell is about torture, not death." Katani said, her voice calm but sounding more gentle. "I'll make sure you all get out. After all, it's my fault you got trapped in here in the first place."

The hellhounds were yowling and barking in anger. Clearly they realized that they were stuck in their home again, and they weren't happy about it. At all. So like any other good predator, they focused on the moving targets: us.

We all ran like a bunch of lunatics away from the infernal mutts, but by the time we did... well... let's just say that I would have wanted to stay with the hounds.

A whole legion of Reploids with various makes were sitting in a large plaza, and every single one was watching us. And judging by their expressions, I assumed that this was the welcoming committee... to absolute hell, that is.

Maria looked confused, Katani looked mortified, and Aeolus looked as if he was trying to remember something alarming.

"What's wrong? Or do I not want to know?" I asked, crossing my arms and scanning the sea of faces.

"That mass is made up of some of the most dangerous mavericks of history." Aeolus answered, his tone blunt. "Look; there's Dynamo." He pointed at a random face in the horde. "He's responsible for the hijack of space colony Eurasia three hundred years ago."

"Well, that's just what we needed." Thetis grumbled. "Anyone have ideas as to how to get away from them?"

"Either we go around or we go through." Neo's voice was confident. That sort of surprised me. The most famed criminals of all time, and he's completely calm? I think I can blame that on Model O.

"How? In case you haven't noticed, there are THOUSANDS of them, maybe more!" Iris yell-whispered, her eyes betraying her fear. "They've all gathered here like they could smell us coming! These are the most notorious and powerful mavericks ever! How could we face them all head on?"

"Maybe there's a way around?" Siarnaq suggested. His monotone voice surprised me; he had been quiet for most of this fiasco.

Neo took a breath, as if trying to calm down, before looking around as if evaluating their options. "That way." He gestured towards what looked like a the side of a cliff. "It's steep and the paths are narrow. It would be difficult for them to follow us."

"I recognize that place." Katani said. "It's our best bet. The Cage is on top to boot."

"The Cage?" Lucas asked. (almost forgot about him!)

"It's where the Hellhounds are usually locked up." She answered.

It seemed as if that would solve all our problems in one hit. I was skeptical. Could we pull it off? The heavy stench of sulfur was making my head ache.

Before we had any time to discuss any alternatives, the Hounds were after us, barking like... well... hounds of hell. Again. Seriously, are they really that short on food down here? Why can't they chase people who are already dead? There are much more of them and would probably make better appetizers! Stupid mutts.

We scattered and ran for the cliff. The dogs gave chase, and they seemed faster than before. Maybe they had been getting hungry. Hm...maybe I should have brought some dog treats!

The dog behind me yelped. I had a feeling it could tell that I wasn't scared; at least, my fear wasn't overwhelming me. That's a step. I hope the others have the sense to try to do the same.

The cliff-face was steeper than I imagined, and with Model F it was hard to keep my footing. _He was desiged for field combat. Not this. _I thought, irritated. Thankfully, the dog was having problems too since the ledge was so small. It whined, pressing itself against the wall to avoid falling into the trench of fire below.

I managed to reach the top, and something nearby exploded. A bright flash of light indicated that it was Iris. What the hell..?

***Iris's P.O.V.***

My body was shaking with repressed fury. If I could package my current expression no maverick would dare come within ten feet of me. My saber burned with charged power. There is no curse in any language that could describe how I was feeling about seeing _this _face again.

"Why hello, Iris." A snake-like voice hissed. Hovering in front of me was none other than the original Sigma Virus.

If I were a volcano, I would have erupted by now. I am going to kill this (insert string of screamy curses here...) all over again!

**End Chapter**

**I had horrible writer's block on this chapter, but this time I just decided to forge onward, because I was getting sick of dwelling on it. So sorry if it's junk, I'll probably go and edit it later. Summer vacation has made my lazy...**

**Review please!**


	8. Chapter 8: Boss Rush part 1

**The CRSIS Chronicles: Devil's Pass**

**Me: I'm back! Feel free to also check out Wrath of Model V! It's my new megaman zx fanfic.**

**Maria: Self-advertisement much?**

**Neo: Hey! Little help here!**

**Iris: I've got my hands full with Sigma! **

**Siarnaq: … Celestial Moonlight Blade does not own Megaman ZX. She just owns the plot.**

**Chapter 8: Boss Rush Begins!**

***Iris's P.O.V.***

Of all the ugly faces I thought I'd see in hell, this is the one I'd like to smash inward the most. I had never really gotten a chance to "thank" Sigma for the hell he had gotten me into after he framed Repliforce all those years ago.

However, now that he's attacking me to drain the life out of me, that chance has been kind enough to present itself to me. But I'd forgotten that Sigma wasn't exactly an easy opponent, or a fair one at that. He kept lunging at me, swinging a large axe he had no doubt made at some point in hell. "Well, well, well! If it isn't little Iris! Funny, I could have sworn I had you killed!" Sigma taunted. He nearly blasted me head off with a swing of his axe, which I parried with my blade.

"You tried!" I shot back, shooting a beam of light at him. "But you couldn't even do it yourself! Noooo, you had to trick my _boyfriend _into doing it FOR YOU!"

"Yeah, I remember. I also remember laughing my ass off when Zero finished you!" Sigma parried the beam with a sweep of his axe, and charged at me.

I hadn't thought I could hate him more than I already did, but the burst of fresh anger gave me strength. I channeled my cyber-angel power into my sword, and brought it down on his axe. Imbued with power, my blade ripped through his axe, and then through HIM, tearing apart his essence. The strain promptly knocked me out.

**Katani's P.O.V.**

I just managed to stave off a strange, old-school looking robot (Aeolus insists that they're called "Robot Masters") just in time to see Iris knock herself out. _That's bad...I'll probably have to carry her out through the gate unless she regains consciousness beforehand...the spring equinox will occur soon, and after that the gate back into the world of the living will be closed. We don't have much time and now we have one girl down._

I should have insisted that they sidestep or something while I lead the dogs back to hell. It's my fault they've gotten wrapped up in this, so it's my job to let them out. I shouldn't have let her fight alone...

I picked Iris up and yelled for Lucas. The alien appeared a few seconds later.

"Carry her until she wakes up." I ordered, before darting back to where the other unit members were clashing with the mavericks.

"What do they want with us?" Atlas demanded before throwing a bomb at Gate. Neo, Maria and Siarnaq were fighting with Doppler's minions, Aeolus was holding his own against Red (think Red Alert, from X7) Amy, Heather and Jade were struggling against Lumine, and Lucas joined them after he found a safe place to put Iris.

I had figured that we would meet some malicious spirits in hell, but I definitely wasn't expecting them to attack all at once. They hadn't done that the last time I had gotten stuck in hell trying to rout the dogs, so I had been completely unprepared. Damn it all. I should have warned them about every possibility.

I joined Atlas, morphing into cat mode. "You know, I'll fully understand if you decide to start avoiding me and my friends after this." The flame chosen one told me before blasting Gate again. He went flying off the side and hit one of the dogs. The pack was trying to round up the other spirits, since it was their job to keep the damned in their place. Thankfully, this meant that for the moment they weren't paying attention to us.

"This isn't your fault." I said. "It's mine."

"There's no point in playing the blame game. Help me trash this asshole." Atlas replied, smirking.

**Neo's P.O.V.**

After a while, we finally manage to shake off those infernal mavericks, momentarily at least. "How's Iris?" I asked. _She picked a bad time to pass out. _

"_**Unconscious**_." Lucidrale answered. Katani jumped, looking at the Light god in surprise. _**"She used all her energy to destroy the essence of the Sigma Virus."**_

"She destroyed his very essence?" Thetis asked in disbelief. "Wow. She must have had some serious beef with him."

"_**That much is true." **_Lucidrale said, his tone suggesting that he was about to change the subject. **_"She's lucky she didn't burn her essence out." _**He turned his head towards Aeolus, Maria and Neo. _**"The cyber-angels are in the most danger here. Their power is particularly appealing to the dead. If a spirit drains a cyber-angel of their essence, they will come back to life."**_

"Oh great." I said sarcastically. "That's just what we needed. To top everything off, it just so happens that we are being chased by an group of powerful mavericks."

"_**They were probably drawn to you." **_Lucidrale responded. **_"If I were you, I would get out of here as soon as possible. There is no way to sustain life in hell."_**

"In other words, there's no fresh food or water. Even if we avoid the mavericks, we risk potentially dying of hunger or thirst." Atlas concluded. "Charming."

"There's more." Katani said quietly. "We have until the spring equinox to get out of here, or else we're trapped."

"I thought it was every full moon." Maria said, confused.

"That's only when the dogs are free and running around earth. Now that they're in, the gates of hell only open on the spring and fall equinox."

"So on top of everything, we have a time limit to worry about?" Aeolus groaned. "This just gets better and better."

I stood up. "Katani, where's the nearest exit?"

Katani looked around nervously. "I think...I think there's one back in the direction of the dog cage."

She seemed upset. What the hell was wrong this time...?

**End Chapter**

**Okay, the end got lame. (bangs head repeatedly on desk) this writer's haitus is really being a jackass to me.**

**Like it? Hate it? The only way I'll know is if you review!**


	9. Chapter 9: Boss Rush part 2

**The CRISIS Chronicles: Devil's Pass**

**Me: Horray for reviews! You're all awesome! (hugs reviewers)**

**Kronos: If I'm the supposed antagonist of this damn story, why am I getting so little screentime?**

**Me: YOU ARE ALL SO PUSHY! GIVE ME A BREAK, YOU'LL GET STAGE TIME WHEN IT'S TIME!**

**Kronos: … -_-**

**Aerith: Hi, I'm here to torture you.**

**Me: (facepalm) not you again! Seriously, who keeps letting her out of the lobby?**

**Aerith: Celestial Moonlight Blade does not own Megaman ZX or any other Megaman game referenced in this chapter.**

**Chapter 9: Boss Rush part 2: Albert**

***Maria's P.O.V.***

We followed Katani as she headed cautiously towards the Dog Cage. It was unquestionably very irritating to always have to guess what she was thinking. But this time I'm not sure if I want to know what's wrong.

The scent of sulfur stung my nose and the heat of the air around me was almost unbearable. My throat burned, since it had been hours since I last took a drink.

Siarnaq glanced over at me. It was impossible to tell what was going on in his head under his helmet, but for some reason he walked closer to me. The gesture took me by surprise; Siarnaq didn't show concern that often. Hell, he hardly showed his emotions at all. Sometimes he seemed more like a robot than a human.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"About as alright as I can be down here." I answered grimly before coughing violently. "How about you?"

"Fine." I smiled wanly. Siarnaq didn't speak like a computer, but he still extremely monotone. I hadn't seen him get upset or freak out ever since he joined the unit. At least that was a step up from before.

It was strange, really. I'm the chosen one for Model O and I feel safe around Siarnaq. You'd think I would always feel confident in my own abilities. Something about it just felt natural to me...

"Do you think she knows where she's going?" Siarnaq asked, indicating Katani.

"I think she knows a whole lot of things she's refusing to tell us." I answered, annoyance burning in my tone of voice. I couldn't help but be frustrated. "I have to wonder why she's insisting on making this difficult."

"...she may just be afraid." Siarnaq muttered. "Everyone who showed her kindness was killed by the dogs. She probably figures that the less people know about her, the safer they'll be. How many deaths to you suppose occurred before she finally shut herself away from humanity?"

I admit, I hadn't thought of it that way before. "That's true." I said reluctantly. "But she should know by now that we're not going to keel over and die because the dogs don't like us. There's no supernatural force around that will make me pick and choose who I hang out with." There was a determined note in my voice as I said this.

I could have sworn he had smiled at me under that helmet, but that might just be my romantic mind making things up. _Wait, what did I just think? Ugh_! I smacked myself in the forehead. _Relax, Maria. It's just teenage hormones..._

Siarnaq gave me an odd look, but thankfully he didn't question me on that subject. I _really _didn't want to embarrass myself here.

Katani paused at the head. "It's down there." She said, speaking up for the first time since the attack of the mavericks. We followed her gaze and saw huge red gates at the bottom of the cliff, an they were wide open. Suddenly nervous, I looked for the dogs. They were in their cage again, on top of the cliff. I couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction as they whined, as if hoping we would turn around and let them out. There was no chance in hell that we'd do that.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Atlas said impatiently. "Our ticket to freedom is right in front of us, so why were are we stalling?"

"There could be traps." Katani answered patiently. "Also, I'm getting the feeling that someone is watching us."

"Really?" Everyone looked around. I couldn't see anyone, but then again I wasn't the one with heightened cat senses.

A few seconds later, I head it. Laughter. "Katani...did you think you would get away from me forever?" It asked mockingly. Katani froze, eyes widening.

"Dad?" She called, eyes wide. That's when all hell broke loose.

The pendant around her neck started glowing. Katani let out a frightened scream before a red light surrounded her. There was a loud crash in the distance, and several familiar-looking blades hurtled towards her, slowing to a stop around her in an awkward formation. The light died away slowly, turning into yellow and red armor. The helmet had orange spikes and a huge blue visor. (**a/n think female Albert)**

"Oh my god." Atlas said shortly, staring up at Katani's new form. "I thought that had just been my imagination!"

Everyone stared up at her in horror. Finally, the flame chosen one understood what the awful feeling of familiary had come from.

"Can I say WTF?" Amy asked, raising an eyebrow. Unlike their companions, the aliens looked confused as opposed to downright freaked out. "I don't understand why you all look as if the apocalypse has come."

"She had a Model W shard around her neck." Atlas said, gritting her teeth. "And apparently she's just summoned its powers."

"...pl...ease...kill...m..e.." Katani whimpered. And then the wingblades lashed out.

**End Chapter**

**Did you see that coming? Well? Did you? If I did, HAH! If I didn't, you have good eyes. I apologize for shortness, but I have pretty much gone braindead. I could barley write at ALL for the last few days!**

**Anyway, please review! I need them! It's how I get better!**


	10. Chapter 10: EvilKatani and the Run Home

**The CRISIS Chronicles: Devil's Pass**

**Me: I'm back!**

**Atlas: Well, that's new. I don't recall Model W being able to do that.**

**Neo: In a little, it won't make a difference! Come here and help me!**

**Atlas: DON'T BOSS ME AROUND, LIGHT!**

**Me: I do not own Megaman ZX, and you two stop trying to kill each other! (goes to separate them)**

**Chapter 10: Ragnarok?**

***Atlas's P.O.V.***

Now I understood what the sensation I felt when I first saw Katani's pendant. I had been sensing a Model W. Why hadn't I realized it before? It had been right up in my face!

Why had Katani of all people had a Model W fragment anyway? For someone who spent ten years trying to stop the Hounds of Hell from killing thousands of people, it was rather counter-productive to carry around a piece of something that almost destroyed the world.

Unfortunately, right now I didn't have time to wonder. That parasite had taken control of Katani's body and it was trying to kill us. No surprises there.

She didn't use the same attacks as Albert had. She was mostly relying on beam attacks, none of which looked familiar. They tore through anything they hit, including any idiot soul who wandered too close. One of the attacks landed WAY too close to me, and I snapped back to attention. This Model W fragment wanted to kill us.

The fragment emitted purple light, and suddenly time slowed to a crawl. I blinked. Big mistake. My eyes closed slowly, and took an incredibly long time to open. During that time, Katani had run up to me, punched me twice, and kicked me into the air. Somehow, she was still moving at normal speed.

_That's the same ability Kronos used! _The image of the Time Demon's smirking face appeared in my mind, and anger gave me new strength. However, my body fell slowly. Too slowly. Katani had run over to Aeolus, kicked him several times, shot a charged blast at Siarnaq, and run back in time to kick me in the back, sending me towards the wall. Luckily, the impact seemed to have been reduced a bit, but the wall gave way like butter, and I made an Atlas-shaped indentation in seconds.

_Fight it, Katani! Fight it, dammit! _I thought heatedly, pulling myself out of the wall. As soon as I had done so, Thetis' flailing form collided with me in regular time. Apparently Evil-Katani had decided that she wanted to screw with us in some other manner. She was currently raining blow after blow onto Maria, who hadn't managed to block her in time.

Iris grimaced, and a white-hot flare filled my vision. There was a crackle of electricity, and seconds later Evil-Katani was flung into the cliff-side right next to me.

"How's that?" Amy shouted, eyes ablaze.

"That's all? How utterly pathetic. And here I was looking forward to fighting a Cyber-Angel. What a downer!" Evil-Katani said. Her voice sounded different. Different as in, it sounded like an old Reploid with a bad voice box.

This pissed Neo off, and naturally, Model O's insane side kicked in. "Oh, that does it. You've just crossed the line, you son of a-" Whatever he was about to say was cut off when Katani roundhouse-kicked him across the face. A look of pure rage distorted Neo's face, and he lunged forward, roaring angrily. His saber rent across Katani's chest, and, to my shock, a large circle around him suddenly appeared. The white circle cut clean through the cliff-face, cut a large trench in the ground, and split through the air with a harsh scream, but Katani, aside from a cut across her chest, seemed fine.

"Omega, how dare you turn on me..." The voice that said that was strangely male, and old/scratchy.

_Okay, what the hell? Who's Omega? _I asked myself.

Surprisingly, something answered me. _He's the God of Destruction, and the soul trapped in Model O. Really, it's obvious. O? Omega? Get it?_

"Model F?" I asked, assuming that my Biometal had spoken. But if that had been him, he didn't answer before Neo and Maria attacked again, blasting Evil-Katani at the same time. This busted the bubble around her, leaving her stunned. I decided to get my licks in as well.

"Be careful!" Heather cried. "That's still Katani!" I ignored her, and launched a fireball at Evil-Katani. Aeolus, Siarnaq, and Thetis also threw their own attacks, all of which nailed Evil-Katani head on. This only served to make her angrier.

That's when Lucidrale stepped in.

The Light AI appeared in front of Evil-Katani, taking full human form. A stunned look appeared on her face. "What? Impossible!" The male voice shrieked.

Lucidrale said nothing. He merely drew a five-pointed star in front of her. It lit up, and suddenly Evil-Katani's form exploded. The wing blades dispelled as well, so Maria, Lucas and Jade were released.

Lucidrale caught Katani in his arms and placed her on her feet. She looked dazed and confused, but otherwise normal.

"Well, that settles that." I said, walking over to him. "But seriously, if you kicked so much ass why didn't you show up sooner?"

"There's only so much I can do while I'm Iris's biometal. Especially since we're in hell. I can't stay long." Lucidrale answered practically.

"I'm really tired of getting that answer." I snapped.

Lucidrale smiled slightly. "Then you tell me what to say."

Damn, he got me there.

"Why'd you step in now?" Aeolus asked.

"What if I were to tell you that if Katani had been assimilated by Wiel he would have reformed Ragnarok with her as the Core?" The golden-eyed AI asked, his tone rather rhetorical.

"What? What do you mean, with her as the Core? And what's Ragnarok?" Thetis asked, sounding absolutely confused.

"I mean what I said." Lucidrale replied. "I know evil where I sense it, and this is an old, foul fragment of impending genocide."

"Ragnarok." Aeolus muttered. I knew that face; he always looked like that when he was trying really hard to remember something. "Oh god...that was orbital canon Model W was formed from, the fragments containing pieces of the soul of a madman."

"You've done your homework, Aeolus. That's correct." Lucidrale said. His expression darkened abruptly and he looked up at the bloodred sky. "All of you, get through the gate, now. The solstice is at hand and the volcano is erupting."

**End Chapter**

**I apologize for my braindead-ness. I couldn't think of anything, and then I decided to write this chapter no matter how horrible it looked. My writing gets better as it goes along, so hopefully Time Warp will look a little better than this.**

**Like it? Hate it? The only way I'll know is if you review!**


	11. Chapter 11: What Now?

**The CRISIS Chronicles: Devil's Pass**

**Writer's Block: YOU WILL NEEEEEVER BE FREE!**

**Atlas: (makes writer's block explode) There. Happy?**

**Me: (comes out of closet) Yes, that's much better.**

**Neo: Then get writing! You abandoned us!**

**Me: Sorry! Sheesh! **

**Neo: Celestial Moonlight Blade does not own Megaman ZX**

**Chapter 11: Lull**

**Neo's POV**

The heat remained as we ran up the tunnel like crazy. The stench of sulfur was finally letting up, much to my eternal relief. I had a headache to end all headaches after spending so much time in hell, and I didn't want to stick around much longer.

I was still pissed off about the Evil-Katani fiasco, since we had just gotten tossed around. I _hate _getting tossed around. Someone as powerful as me shouldn't show weakness...ever. It was embarrassing, and I was burning from it. Or was that Model O? I'm not sure if I can tell anymore. My emotions clawed at my heart. _I'm loosing my mind, _I thought bitterly.

That would be a laugh. The fabled Crimson Devil doing nothing but running away.

The red gates hung in front of us, hanging wide open. The tunnel was on the other side, although one end was starting to glow red and yellow.

"The volcano's erupting." Aeolus said in a mock cheerful voice.

"Just. %&*$#. Perfect." I spat, grimacing. "When we reach the top, you'll see the lava coming from one side!" I yelled so everyone could hear. "Turn and run in the other direction until you reach the end. Stick together!"

We shot through the gate, and I felt my cyber-angel powers receding. My vision blurred with exhaustion. The heat of lava hit our backs when we jumped into Devil's Pass, in the world of the living once again.

The tunnel went on FOREVER. We ran like mad, the fire nipping at our heels the entire time. Just when I thought my lungs would give way, we were outside.

Tasting true, fresh air for the first time in days was a shock. We scrambled to the side of the mountain, the lava flowing past us.

Katani sat down, her breathing heavy and unstable. "We...we made it." She murmured. Her cat ears were flattened against her head. "Is everyone alright?" 

"Been better." Atlas answered. "But I'm in one piece." She looked up. "Well, if Kronos was hoping to lock us down here, too bad for him."

"Yeah, the only problem is we got NOTHING OUT OF IT!" I shouted in frustration. "We have no idea where that asshole is or how to combat him!"

Maria looked at me, concerned. "Neo, please, calm down. Think of it this way-if we were stuck there, no one would be prepared for Kronos when he decides to do something only we could stop."

I ran my fingers through my hair. I knew she was right. "Alright. Let's go back and report this mess." We teleported out.

**No POV, location unknown**

Kronos was sitting on a desk, twirling his blade between his fingers. His companion sulked next to him, curled up in a ball. "I bust a gut summoning every maverick in hell and this is what I get."

"Yup, the plan failed the minute you summoned those weaklings." Kronos said cheerfully, leaning back against his chair. His companion looked resentfully at him.

"I suppose you have a better plan?" He asked.

Kronos continued to smile. "I always have a backup plan." He said. He opened his hand, and several gleaming blue pearls sat in them. They were translucent and had what looked like gleaming stars trapped inside them.

His companion raised an eyebrow in what might have been respect, but it was hard to tell with his disfigured face. "You had this in mind from the start, didn't you?"

"What can I say? I like playing chess."

**End Chapter**

**Well...ack. I was hoping to wrap up Devil's Pass on a more dramatic note, but I suppose that improvement will have to occur in Time Wrap. Thank to all those who reviewed this story! You're all so nice and I think I'm starting to improve! The next one is called Time Warp!**

**Please review on your way out!**


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